Bacteriology of tonsil core: a clinical study

Abstract

Objectives:The purpose of the study was to investigate the core specimens of the tonsil tissue without surface mucosa, and determine the bacteriology of tonsil tissue.Methods:This study was conducted in the Baflkent University Adana Research and Teaching Medical Center. One hundred-twenty patients who underwent tonsillectomy with the diagnosis of chronic tonsillitis were included in the study. Hot tonsillectomy was not performed in any of the patients. Core specimens without surface mucosa were obtained from the removed tonsils under the sterile conditions and were examined microbiologically. The statistical analysis was performed by using χ2 method. p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results:Sixty-one male and fifty-nine female patients, with ages ranging between 4-63 years (mean age: 17.4±14.8), were included into the study. According to bacteriological investigation; normal bacterial flora in 102 of the patients (85%), group A beta-hemolytic streptococci in 8 of the patients (6.7%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in 7 of the patients (5.8%), and non-group A beta hemolytic streptococci in 3 of the patients were grown.Conclusion:The bacteriological culture of the tonsil core for the determination of the pathogens of chronic tonsillitis is a reliable method. With the optimum antibiotic choice for chronic tonsillitis depending on the core pathogen, the success rate of the treatment is expected to increase. It was observed that there has been no change in the distribution of the core pathogens in our country during the last 15 years.

Keywords

• culture
• core
• tonsillectomy.